Chapter 179: Congratulations, Chairman

Broadcast stations set up outside the polling places conducted their respective exit polls.

While they would later consolidate the results for broadcast, each station reported slightly different preliminary findings.

I set my phone down and stared at the exit poll announcement. A knot of tension twisted in my stomach as I absently fidgeted with the remote control.

“Boss, I brought you some food.”

Manager Ma handed me a bento box he had picked up from a nearby Japanese restaurant.

While unwrapping the bento, my eyes were glued to the TV. I hardly noticed whether the sushi was going into my mouth or my nose.

As the countdown began, the anticipated seat projections finally flashed across the screen.

While I scanned the quickly moving ticker, the announcer spoke clearly into the microphone.

— The exit poll suggests the Moderate Party is expected to secure a majority of seats, with projections ranging from 130 to 160 seats. Following them, the Progressive Party is estimated to have between 70 to 100 seats, and lastly, the Conservative Party is expected to win between 30 to 50 seats.

I slowly released my clenched fist. I hadn’t even realized how tightly I had been holding it until I saw the marks left by my nails.

Including proportional representatives, they would hold at least a majority of the total seats.

A camera briefly shifted to each party’s headquarters before returning to display the anticipated results for key battlegrounds.

As my tension eased, my appetite waned, and I set my chopsticks down, yet my gaze remained glued to the TV as the results were announced.

“Thankfully, Myeong-su seems likely to be elected without any issues. And it seems the same goes for Chairman Yoon.”

The Progressive and Conservative Parties had become like water and oil—completely unable to cooperate despite any situation. Given their longstanding rivalry, collaboration was utterly out of the question.

If the exit poll results held true, Chairman Yoon Chang-ho had a high chance of winning the next presidential election.

Once I exhaled out of anxiety, I could contemplate the situation more rationally.

‘Now all that’s left is to increase Myeong-su’s profile. Those who helped him this time will likely side with him… I’ll have to lend support to the rest.’

Though I had played a role in the party formation, the Moderate Party had effectively become Chairman Yoon’s personal faction.

The public who held voting power didn’t know me, while the battle-hardened three-term lawmakers recognized the potential for Yoon Chang-ho’s presidential victory and chose to join him.

The infusion of new blood into the Moderate Party bore fruit in this election. The blend of Yoon Chang-ho’s seasoned approach and Lee Myeong-su’s youthful vigor left a positive impression on the people.

Thanks to that, those tired of the two-party system dominated by the Conservative and Progressive Parties turned out to support the Moderate Party.

Having finished my thoughts, it was time for action. I pressed the calling bell to summon Manager Ma.

“Prepare 10 billion won in cash for me—make it difficult to trace.”

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

“Of that, set aside 2 billion for Yoon Chang-ho. The rest, put 200 million each into boxes of apples. When the election results are out, deliver them to the people I mention.”

“Understood, Boss.”

Bowing his head, Manager Ma left the room. I could hear him making calls from the other side of the door.

With a pen between my fingers, I slowly organized my upcoming tasks.

While my eyes were still glued to the TV, my mind was racing.

— Boss Kim! I hope I’m not too late to call!

I could hear Yoon Chang-ho’s hearty laughter through the receiver.

Yoon Chang-ho must have been busy calling everyone else, as he phoned me just before midnight.

“Congratulations, Chairman!”

— Haha, it’s all thanks to you! I didn’t expect to win so decisively.

“No matter how much I helped, the victory was due to your capabilities, Chairman. Unlike other parties, there weren’t any complaints during the nominations, right?”

— You flatter me shamefully.

Yoon Chang-ho’s laughter didn’t stop for a moment throughout the conversation, clearly in high spirits.

“Now that you’ve won in Jongno, it’s time to prepare for the presidential election. You should focus more on external activities than legislative work.”

— Let’s save the heavy stuff for another day like this. How about we meet this weekend and discuss things properly?

“Yes, Chairman. That sounds good.”

As soon as I answered, I heard voices urging Yoon Chang-ho from the other end of the line.

He must really be in a rush.

With a polite apology, Yoon Chang-ho ended the call.

Soon after, I received a call from Myeong-su as well. Hearing his excited voice let out a sigh of relief.

The next day, all the vote counting was completed.

The Moderate Party secured a total of 157 members, including proportional representatives, in the National Assembly.

The Progressive Party held a total of 86 seats, and the Conservative Party obtained 53 seats. The remaining positions were held for independent lawmakers.

Victories surged across most of the metropolitan area, with several candidates emerging from the Conservative and Progressive strongholds in Yeonghonam as well.

This was a feat that hadn’t occurred since before I returned to this life.

I had changed the course of politics in Korea with my own hands. Where this new current would flow, even I couldn’t tell.

* * *

Clang!

The sound of something breaking echoed in the office of the Il-seong Group chairman.

“What the hell are you idiots doing! Sure, I can concede a victory to the Moderate Party. But according to the report you brought me, the seat estimates for the Moderate Party and the Progressive Party were supposed to be similar! What’s going on here!”

Blood streamed from Lee Seok-min’s head where the object thrown by Chairman Seo had struck. Yet, neither he nor the other strategy department staff could muster a single word.

Despite mobilizing every resource of the Il-seong Group to support the Progressive Party, the outcome had been a devastating loss.

It was a moment that shattered Chairman Seo Yong-geon’s pride.

“What’s wrong with the strategy department? Just a bunch of parasites wasting my salary!”

With his veins throbbing in his neck, Seo Yong-geon suppressed his anger and took a seat.

“Everyone except Seok-min get out! Leave, you losers!”

The strategy employees retreated, heads bowed, and closed the door behind them.

“Lee Seok-min!”

“You called, Chairman?”

“…Go wash yourself up and clean the blood off first.”

Seo Yong-geon, with his face flushed red, pointed towards the office bathroom.

A moment later, Lee Seok-min returned after quickly washing the blood from his face, once again bowing his head before Seo Yong-geon.

“You called Representative Gong Seung-yeon?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Perhaps having calmed down, Seo Yong-geon’s expression had settled into a frigid demeanor.

It was the sort of expression that emerged when something was clearly not to his liking.

“Sit down. Don’t stand.”

Lee Seok-min obeyed the order and sat down, moving as obediently as a trained dog.

“Do you think it’s acceptable for me, Seo Yong-geon, to be overshadowed by Kim Mu-hyeok? Huh?”

“I have nothing to say about that, Chairman.”

“Huh…”

Even as he thought back, anger flared up inside him.

Seo Yong-geon let out a deep sigh, swallowing the rising rage.

“Seok-min, why is it that the one person who has never disappointed me has begun to act strangely? Are you getting old now?”

Lee Seok-min couldn’t muster a response to Chairman Seo Yong-geon’s frustrations.

A click of the tongue echoed in the office.

“We’re nearing the time to hand the company over to Jae-hoon. If we can’t finish things properly, everything we’ve built could go to waste.”

“I’m sorry, Chairman. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Seo Yong-geon looked at the back of Lee Seok-min’s bowed head, and despite his angry voice, there was no emotion left in his eyes.

“Lift your head. Well, there’s no point fretting over what has already passed.”

“…Yes.”

“Is the transfer of management rights to Jae-hoon being prepared well?”

Seo Yong-geon rubbed his throbbing forehead and squinted his eyes as he asked.

“Yes. As long as we can neutralize the shares Kim Mu-hyeok possesses, the ViceChairman will transfer shares of the Il-seong Group with no issues.”

“There can’t be any mistakes. If you disappoint me again…”

A cold light flashed in Seo Yong-geon’s eyes. He didn’t finish his sentence, but Lee Seok-min understood the implication.

A dry swallow escaped his throat, and cold sweat trickled down his back.

“You know it better than anyone else.”

“…Yes, Chairman.”

In that heavy silence, a knock interrupted the tension at the office door.

Lee Seok-min quickly rose from his seat and opened the door. The secretary peeked inside, speaking in a hushed tone.

“Director, Representative Gong Seung-yeon has arrived.”

“Tell her to hold on for a moment.”

“Yes, Director.”

Despite the secretary standing by the door, Lee Seok-min reported the content to the chairman as if it were routine.

“Chairman, Representative Gong Seung-yeon has arrived.”

“Tell her to wait a moment. We need to clean the office before her arrival. Once it’s tidy, invite her in.”

“Understood.”

“You should go to the hospital and get treated, then come back once you’re better.”

Soon after, the office staff came in and tidied up the messy office.

Once all the staff left, Gong Seung-yeon entered the office and bowed her head.

“Chairman, it’s been a while since we last met.”

“Haha, Representative Gong. Welcome. Please, have a seat.”

Chairman Seo Yong-geon’s smile felt genuine, like he hadn’t just been furious moments ago.

“Have you informed Cheon Su-man about our plans?”

“Yes, Chairman. I’ve communicated it to him.”

“What was his reaction?”

“He said it was absurd, but his eyes told another story. His gaze was shaky, which suggests he’s worried about something.”

Chairman Seo clicked his tongue disapprovingly, shaking his head.

“I hope this election’s results inspire him to make up his mind. It’s frustrating, not being able to approach Chairman Cheon in his sickroom.”

“He’s quite the greedy man; I believe he’ll reach out soon enough.”

As she said this, Gong Seung-yeon wore a sly smile.

“If it weren’t for Chairman Cheon, would I even consider taking him on as my son-in-law? A man lacking in capability but overflowing with greed dares eye the Il-seong Group?”

Chairman Seo Yong-geon knew that Cheon Su-man sought a merger with the Cheongpung Group from the beginning.

With a disapproving shake of her head, Gong Seung-yeon chimed in.

“Who would have thought that Kim Mu-hyeok would devastate theCheongpung Group? He’s a scarier person than Chair Cheon himself.”

It was someone nobody anticipated to crush the Cheongpung Group.

Seo Yong-geon nodded, having already gathered information about the Cheongpung incident.

“Right. He’s someone who knows how to wield money as a weapon. If he sets his mind to it, he’ll act boldly without caring about anyone’s opinions. If he weren’t my enemy, I’d wish for him to join my side.”

When Cheon Su-man was ousted and Kim Mu-hyeok was named as the sucessor, Seo Yong-geon had him investigated in every detail.

And upon hearing that Kim Mu-hyeok was the heir, he fet a mix of relief; it would be easier to deal with a young Kim Mu-hyeok than the formidableCheon Su-man backed by the Cheongpung Group.

However, once he saw Kim Mu-hyeok chase out Cheon Su-an and eliminate Cheongpung, those thoughts disappeared.

What I thought was a young pup turned out to be a tiger cub. For the first time since inheriting the Il-seong Group, Seo Yong-geon felt a sense of crisis.

More importantly, he started worrying about the shares held by Chairman Cheon in the Il-seong Group. Those shares were weapons that could shake the management rights.

Thus, Seo Yong-geon resolved to utilize Cheon Su-man.

“Kim Hak-gwon made a promise. He said he’d close his eyes to anything for the duration of his term. Two years left. Before that, I need to securely transfer the management rights to Jae-hoon.”

Seo Yong-geon’s muttering had a hint of desperation ringing in it.

“The Il-seong Group is my property and cannot slip away from my grasp. It’s the kingdom that Jae-hoon is meant to inherit. Am I wrong, Representative Gong?”

Gong Seung-yeon read fear in Seo Yong-geon’s eyes—a fear of potentially losing the Il-seong Group.

“Of course not. The Il-seong Group is your company, and Jae-hoon must inherit it.”

Perhaps pleased with her firm affirmation, a small smile flickered across Seo Yong-geon’s previously stone-cold face.

“Prepare everything so that we can initiate a lawsuit as soon as Chairman Cheon passes. As long as we restrict Kim Mu-hyeok’s voting rights, wecan do it with ease.”

To protect the Il-seong Kingdom, he was willing to resort to any means necessary.

Even if it meant eliminating the Cheon family, who had once kept him shackled.

“After that, who wins or loses won’t concern me. By then, the matter will already be settled.”

“As you mentioned, all the preparations are in place. Regardless of how much power Chief Justice Oh Jeong-seok and Representative Yoon Hyung-min encroach, with President Kim Hak-gwon’s help, we’ll have no choice but to accept the voting restrictions.”

We had planted someone within the Blue House, and news quickly reached us that tensions had arisen between Kim Mu-hyeok and Kim Hak-gwon.

Seo Yong-geon seized the opportunity and joined forces with Kim Hak-gwon.

“Nobody knows how things will turn out in this world. Kim Hak-gwon owes a lot to Kim Mu-hyeok, yet who would havepredicted they would part ways?”

“Do you know why they’ve fallen out, Chairman?”

Curious about the reason, Gong Seung-yeon leaned forward, but Seo Yong-geon merely shook his head slightly.

“Well, it must be Kim Hak-gwon’s fault. It sounded like he was trying to exploit Kim Mu-hyeok’s weaknesses.”

Trying to dominate the tiger cub of an old fox; it is no wonder that they parted ways.

Gong Seung-yeon asked, surprised, “Is that really true?”

“Indeed. Apparently, he threatened to cut off IMF support through Han Gyeong-yeong. Isn’t it comical that a president with absolute power in Korea is being reduced to a mere money-dependent figure, unable to act against a young man like Kim Mu-hyeok?”

Seeing Gong Seung-yeon’s astonished expression, Seo Yong-geon chuckled.

“What I couldn’t accomplish, Kim Mu-hyeok has managed to do. ou probably can’t believe it, can you? I didn’t believe it at first either.”

After hearing that from Kim Hak-gwon, Seo Yong-geon regretted not aligning himself with Kim Mu-hyeok that day.